As one would reasonably expect, NBC Sports will use its Triple Crown horse races as lead-ins for NBA playoff coverage this year.
NBC Sports EP Sam Flood confirmed in a Tuesday conference call that NBC plans to carry NBA playoff games in the windows immediately following horse racing’s Kentucky Derby and potentially the Preakness Stakes. The Derby coincides with the final weekend of the opening round and the Preakness with the final weekend of the conference semifinals, and the NBA has traditionally moved up subsequent rounds to ensure a game is available for a broadcast network window.
Since it began airing Triple Crown horse races in 2001, NBC has regularly used the events as potent lead-ins for its other sports programming — including NBA games during the tail end of the network’s previous run with the league. That was especially the case during the network’s 16-year tenure carrying the NHL, when lead-ins from the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes fueled some of the largest audiences for the Stanley Cup playoff and Final.
NBC last used its Triple Crown lead-ins on USFL games in 2022 (following the Preakness) and 2023 (following the Derby).
For Derby weekend, NBC’s lead NBA voice Mike Tirico will occupy his usual role as host of the Derby, with Noah Eagle calling the subsequent NBA game.
As for the rest of NBC’s playoff slate, the network will open up its first postseason since 2002 with three-straight nights of doubleheaders this coming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. On Monday and Tuesday, there will be a third game that airs on Peacock and NBCSN. NBCUniversal contractually owns rights to a minimum of 15 and maximum of 23 games in the first round, a minimum of 7 and maximum of 11 in the second, and for this season, the full Western Conference Finals.
Contractually, NBC is allowed to put as much as half of its early round inventory on Peacock, but there are no indications either way as to how many games will be set aside for the streaming service this season. All games that air primarily on Peacock will be simulcast on NBCSN.
